Ryder a return chance against Swans, says Hinkley

PORT Adelaide hopes the return of Patrick Ryder against the Sydney Swans in round 14 could ignite the club for the second half of the season.

The Power enter their bye this weekend with its 2015 campaign balancing on a knife-edge, sitting 12th on the ladder at 5-7.

Ryder has missed the past four games with an Achilles injury, but has been building his training load and will take on the Swans next week.

Speaking to Adelaide radio station FIVEaa, Power coach Ken Hinkley confirmed the star ruckman would return to the senior line-up.

"Paddy's expected to play the next game, and that's exciting for us," Hinkley said.

"Sometimes you just want a bit of excitement to come into the team when things are not going the way you want, and Paddy might be one of the little things that starts to trigger up a bit of excitement."

Injury has robbed Port of the opportunity to see the best out of its newly-formed ruck combination of Ryder and Matthew Lobbe.

Lobbe missed the opening three weeks of the competition with a quad issue before Ryder's Achilles injury flared.

Add Justin Westhoff to the mix, and the Power has a potentially elite trio of big men.

Pointing to Geelong's acquisition of Richmond ruckman Brad Ottens ahead of the 2005 season, Hinkley guaranteed the recruitment of Ryder would eventually pay dividends.